Berenato gets first win as Pitt head coach during break

It was a tale of two teams in the Pitt women’s basketball squad’s first week of regular-season… It was a tale of two teams in the Pitt women’s basketball squad’s first week of regular-season action.

On Tuesday, the Panthers displayed the inexperience of a team dressing five sophomores and three freshmen, turning the ball over 18 times en route to a 75-61 loss to Coppin State. But the Panthers bounced back on Friday afternoon, playing aggressively on both sides of the ball and grabbing 11 steals to help seal a 75-59 victory over Central Connecticut State.

Coppin State 75, Pitt 61

The 2003 season opener was a sloppy affair for the Panthers, with Pitt shooting only 32.8 percent from the floor and committed 16 personal fouls in the loss to the Lady Eagles.

The Panthers got off to a good start, taking a 9-4 lead with 16 minutes left in the first half. But the Lady Eagles exploded on a 14-7 run over the next seven minutes and repelled a small run by the Panthers to hang on to a 39-37 halftime lead.

The second half was all Coppin State, as the Lady Eagles jumped out to a 17-4 run at the outset. The Panthers could not close the deficit to less than nine from that point, and a strong finish by Coppin State (1-1) clinched the 75-61 victory.

Leading the way for the Panthers (0-1) was senior forward Latoya Kincaid, who dropped a double-double on the Lady Eagles with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Forward Sheila Stufflet added 10 points and 8 rebounds for the Panthers, and guard Jessica Allen scored 11 points on two-for-six shooting from three-point land.

Junior point guard Amy Kunich’s six assists matched her six turnovers, and center Bridget Larkin contributed 13 points and five boards off of the bench for the Panthers.

Coppin State center Leisel Harry dominated the low post for the Lady Eagles, scoring 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting to lead the game.

Pitt 75, Central Connecticut State 59

Pitt’s motion offense and full-court pressure defense caused serious problems for the Blue Devils, causing Central Connecticut State to cough the ball up 28 times and ensuring new head coach Agnus Berenato’s first victory as a Panther.

Pitt hit its first three three-point attempts to jump out to a 15-2 lead in the game’s first five minutes. But guard Kerrin Fesik sparked a comeback for the Blue Devils, yelling at her teammates and hitting three quick three-pointers of her own to cut the Pitt lead to seven points at halftime.

Pitt started off the second half with another big run, this time scoring 12 of the half’s first 15 points to grab a 16-point lead with just under 16 minutes to play. But a combination of several consecutive defensive stops and several free-throw attempts over the next 10 minutes enabled Central Connecticut State to cut the Panther lead to five with seven minutes left to go. But the Panthers shot 75 percent from the field down the stretch to earn the victory.

Pitt improved its shot selection against the Blue Devils, hitting 42.9 percent of its three-pointers and getting many low-post buckets to finish the game at a 59.3 percent clip from the field. The Panthers (1-1) also had 11 team steals and outrebounded the Blue Devils, 26-17.

Four Panthers scored in double figures, as Kincaid once again led the way for the Panthers with 18 points and seven rebounds. Center Allisha Morris added a career-high 10 points for the Panthers, and Allen chipped in with 14 points for the Panthers. Kunich scored 13 points and her eight assists and three steals led the game for both teams.

Forward Kim Boone led the Blue Devils in scoring with 13 points, and Fesik added 10 points in 18 minutes of play. Center Gabriella Guegbelet led the game with 10 rebounds and added nine points for the Blue Devils (1-2).

The Panthers host the cross-town rival Duquesne Dukes tonight at the Petersen Events Center. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.